Wicker Park, Chicago

Wicker Park, Chicago, originally uploaded by barst.

Wicker Park is a West Town Chicago neighborhood that has gone through many changes over the years. It was a working class Polish neighborhood for many years. Many people still remember and miss the Busy Bee restaurant. After that it became predominately Hispanic. Artists started moving there in the 80s because cheap lofts were available.

As so often happens, gentrification follows the artists. Now property values are extremely high and the funky and the slick exist side by side. Earwax cafe, pictured here, has been on Milwaukee Avenue since the early 90s,